For example I was at a Climate Change conference a couple of years ago being addressed by a new Scottish Minister responsible for climate change who was labouring the need for due process, a bill, a consultation process, reflection, a further consultation process, a parliamentary debate before becoming an Act. Frustrated by what I saw as complacency I took to the floor and said that climate change was far more urgent than that, that we are in a crisis and action needs to be taken now. Imagine, I said, that an invading army was marching up the M6 - would the Scottish Government undertake a consultation process or get on and do something? Of course the Scottish Nationalist Ministers head was now filled with ENGLISH invaders - not of the urgency of climate change - and the minister rather irritatingly dismissed the question with some quip.
Last night Newsnight was filled with footage taken from WWII propaganda films trying to get people to dig up golf courses and plant spuds for the war effort in a piece on food security in the light of climate change. Thus my use of the war analogy feels vindicated, but not obviously, of the use of the M6.
So will we get agreement in December for a global 40% cut in C02 levels by 2020? No chance if you ask me. Complacent and deaf to the marching of boots and the rumbling of tanks.
Back to real issues - today has been eternal drizzle interspersed by occasional showers. It feels like the end of summer. Jussi has spent most of the day making cheese and I've been curled up with a book. Thoroughly enjoyed the day - but rather hoping that summer returns soon.
7 comments:
Sorry, but I think that every government in the world is in total denial about the real consequences of climate change - and that their citizens have their heads buried in the sand. Sadly, I can't quite see enough of us the species, that is) being prepared to give up enough of what we have to make a significant difference.
Then again, I think the glass is half empty too, so what do I know?
But I DO like the idea of invading Scotland by marching up the M6! When do we start?
Aye - but I reckon a bunch of morris dancers on the M6 would be no match for kilted caber tossers
I regard that as a challenge. Of course, I've already infiltrated the border...
Shhhh! Me too.
Hush, my bonny pair of Hannays; don't give the game away 'til I shake my beribbonned leg and the bells on it ring for the 'off'! And then we'll have at these raggedy skirted Scots for sure. Yoiks and Tally Ho!
Sadly, there ain't no capitalist government out there that doesn't know that as soon as it cuts CO2 by 40%, it'll be crippling it's own commerce and get itself voted out of power. We need environmentalist dictators to over-run the world.
Meanwhile, I guess it's down to me to rip Nick's beribbonned & belled legs off and post them back South. Dinnae start or we'll have to invade England (again).
MTB, a token raggedy skirted Scot.
P.S. 'Exesig' - an excessive jig, like the ones we dance each time we send Morrismen home. %-)
Ah! Good to hear from you again Mike!
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